Vivo’s next X-series flagship may arrive as a three-model family, and the most interesting one is shaping up to be the smallest. A fresh leak points to a compact Vivo X500 variant with a roughly 6.4-inch display, a 2nm-class flagship chip, and a camera setup that sounds far too ambitious for something marketed as ”mini”.
The Vivo X500 series is expected to launch in China in September, with the lineup likely split into small-screen, mid-size, and large-screen versions. That’s a sensible move: Samsung and Apple have both shown there’s still a market for phones that do flagship things without turning into pocket appliances, and Vivo appears ready to chase that demand rather than force everyone into one size.
A compact Vivo X500 with serious hardware
The key leak comes from Digital Chat Station, who described an upcoming flagship with a ”Pro Mini” position in the lineup. The tipster did not name Vivo outright, but the device is widely linked to the X500 family. The claimed hardware includes a next-generation 2nm flagship chipset, a new 50-megapixel LOFIC ultra-large main camera sensor, and an upgraded periscope telephoto camera.
That chipset appears to be the Dimensity 9600. If that part holds up, Vivo would be taking the unusual route of stuffing top-tier silicon into a smaller body instead of reserving it for the biggest phone in the family. It is a neat way to stand out in a segment where ”compact” usually means ”compromised”.
What the Vivo X500 lineup may look like
In the same leak, a commenter asked whether the mini model could use a 6.5-inch display. Digital Chat Station reportedly replied that the series may include small-screen, medium-sized, and large-screen variants. That points to the compact model landing around 6.4 inches, which would fit the usual definition of a true flagship compact.
- Compact model: around a 6.4-inch display, Dimensity 9600, 50-megapixel LOFIC main camera, upgraded periscope telephoto
- Standard X500: reportedly set to use the Dimensity 9500 Plus
- X500 Pro Max: said to bring a 6.9-inch or 6.85-inch display, Dimensity 9600 Pro, 50-megapixel main camera, 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera
The naming still looks a little slippery. The compact model could end up as the X500 Pro, while the larger version may take the X500 Pro Max badge. If that happens, Vivo will be doing what phone brands love most: making buyers decode the hierarchy before they can even compare specs.
For now, the most interesting question is whether Vivo can keep the smaller X500 genuinely small without trimming the very things that make a flagship feel like a flagship. If the leak is right, September could bring one of the more unusual premium lineups of the year.